


The Christmas Dream

by EverydayGeek



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Banter, Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Holidays, Humor, Romance, Swan-Mills Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2018-03-02 07:59:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2805311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverydayGeek/pseuds/EverydayGeek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That awkward moment when you go to bed cursing your enemy's name, only to wake up with them in your bed the very next morning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Please remove yourself from my property, Miss Swan." Regina Mills says in a stern voice, cutting a glare at the blonde so sharp, it could probably cut a sheet of metal in half.

"I don't understand why you hate me so much, Regina. I came here, offering a truce, yet you refuse my offer each and every time. I want us to do better for our son." The blonde pleads, standing her ground, her arms crossed over her chest defiantly. Regina's glare intensifies as her eyes pierce into the blonde's, wanting desperately to get the woman off of her front porch, and away from her property. Who does this woman think she is?

" _My son_ , Miss Swan. You gave up the right to call him your son when you gave him away. So, I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave my home—maybe even leave Storybrooke—and never return." Regina says coldly, her lips curling into a sneer, and her nostrils flaring in anger. If anyone else were put in Emma's current position, they would be terrified beyond belief and go running for the hills. But not Emma. Emma isn't intimated by the brunette in the least. And Regina hates that. The brunette has done her best to keep order in the town of Storybrooke; never allowing herself get close to anyone, limiting the time her son gets to spend with the blonde standing before her, and never allowing herself to truly  _feel_. As she was taught by her mother at a young age: love is weakness. The people you allow yourself to love, are the same people who hold the power to break your heart, and destroy you. The only person Regina has allowed herself to love since Daniel, is Henry. Henry is all she has, yet, the blonde standing before her is the one he chooses to spend all of his time with—leaving Regina behind as if she no longer holds importance to him.

The blonde before her is who Henry seems to love more. Since Emma's arrival, Regina has been perceived as some evil monster through her son's eyes, and Emma is seen as this hero he looks up to. Regina remembers a time—a time not too long ago—where Henry used to look up to her. She was Henry's hero; she was the object of her son's affections; she was the one Henry came to for comfort. But not anymore. Emma has been trying to take her place ever since she stepped foot into this town, and Regina does not appreciate that. Not at all.

"Look, Regina, I am not trying to take your place as his mother. I would  _never_  do that, nor would I want to. I just—I want to form a truce with you. Sure, I may not be his mom like you are, but I am still his mother, and as long as he wants me in his life, I'll be here. I just don't want us to be at each other's throats all the time. I want us to, at least, be civil around the kid. Can we do that?" Emma pleads, her expression hopeful.

"Goodbye, Miss Swan." Regina says curtly, turning on her heels, and walking into her home. As she goes to close the front door, Emma appears in the doorway, placing her foot between the door and the doorframe. Regina's eyes narrow in anger as she releases a frustrated breath. "What do you think you're doing?" She asks lowly, sending shivers down the blonde's spine. Emma straightens up and looks deeply into the brunette's eyes, trying to convey a message of—well, Regina isn't exactly sure  _what_  she's trying to convey.

"Can you at least think about my offer? Please? I just—I really want us to get along. Believe it or not, I don't hate you; even though you seem to hate me. I want us to be friends or, at least, acquaintances."

"Please step off of my porch, Sheriff." Emma sighs at the woman's obvious rejection of her offer, and decides to back down. She nods at the brunette, and steps back.

"Merry Christmas, Regina." Emma says to the brunette before turning on her heels, and walking towards her parked police cruiser. Regina rolls her eyes at the blonde's back, and closes her front door, sliding the lock into place. Once the door is securely locked behind her, Regina turns around, and comes face-to-face with her son, an angry expression on his face.

"Henry—"

"You didn't have to be so mean to Emma, you know. She was just trying to be your friend." He tells her in an angry tone. Regina rolls her eyes at her son's temper (something he's obviously inherited from her) and walks towards him, only to have him take a step back. Regina sighs, running her fingers through her hair, and stares at her son pleadingly.

"Look, Henry, I know you want us to get along, but I do not think that woman is good company. You can't force me to like someone that I despise. You can't always get your way."

"You don't always have to be so hateful, either. Emma isn't asking to be your friend because I asked her to; she's asking to be your friend because she  _wants_  to. She likes you." Henry states, taking Regina by surprise. She certainly wasn't expecting that. She quickly composes herself, however, and masks her surprise with a look of bemusement.

"Well, that must be unpleasant for her, seeing as I do not, and  _will never_ , want to be her friend."

"But mom—"

"This discussion is over, Henry. Go up to your room and get ready for bed."

"But, mom, tomorrow is Christmas. Why can't you just try to get along with Emma? At least just for tomorrow. Please?" Henry pleads, his bottom lip jutted out in a pout. Regina feels her steely resolve start to soften, but before it could fully melt away, Emma Swan's face pops into her mind, putting her resolve back into place.

"I'm sorry, Henry, but the answer is no. Get ready for bed." Regina says with little regret. Henry glares at his mother and turns around, stomping his way up the stairs, and grumbling childlike expletives under his breath. Regina watches him go with a frown and makes her way up the stairs behind him. She watches as he heads into his room and slams the door shut behind him, the click of his lock sounding just a few seconds later. Regina sighs sadly to herself and begins walking towards her bedroom, closing the door softly behind her once she's inside.

Regina heads over to her drawer, pulling out her nightgown and silk robe, and changes into them, not even bothering to shower before bed like she usually does. The day had been emotionally exhausting for the brunette, and now, she's just about ready to crash. First, she had to deal with a fight that occurred in the town hall meeting and then she had to deal with Sidney sending her creepy stalker-like texts. Why she still keeps the man around, she'll never know. Not to mention, her car broke down on her way to  _Granny's,_ and she now has to pay a small fortune to get it repaired—not that money is even an issue for her, seeing as she  _is_  the mayor. To top off an already terrible day, she had to deal with the fact that Henry skipped school today, in order to spend extra time with  _Emma_. And then Emma had the gall to ask her for a truce?

And that's not all, no; according to Henry, Emma likes her and wants to be her friend? Who is Emma trying to kid? It's obvious that she's only trying to put her in a false sense of security. That's what manipulative people do; they make you trust them, and then they break that trust, betraying you in the worst way possible. Emma has a criminal record, so Regina wouldn't put it past her. Since when did her life become this big of a mess? Oh wait, she knows the answer to this question: when Emma Swan came to Storybrooke. Of course. All of her bad fortune has to do with that annoying blonde.

Regina releases a frustrated sigh, and makes herself comfy in her bed, snuggling her head into her pillow. She closes her eyes and wills sleep to come, feeling her body begin to sag in exhaustion. The last thought she has before she falls asleep is how she can get Emma Swan to leave Storybrooke.

* * *

 

***Beep Beep Beep***

Regina groans to herself, peeking one eye open to look at the clock.  _5:00 a.m._  She smacks her hand against the snooze button, but remains lying down, burying her face into her pillow. A moment later, she feels a rustling come from behind her, causing her eyes to widen in alarm. Regina, slowly, turns her head to the side, trying to get a peek at the intruder in her bed. As she catches sight of long blonde hair splayed across the pillow beside hers, her breath hitches in her throat.

Who the hell is in her bed?

As her alarm sounds off for the second time, Regina doesn't bother turning it off; she just stares at the mystery person's back, waiting with bated breath for them to turn around and reveal their identity. And, just as she hoped, the person turns around, their eyes still closed, and their arm draping over her waist. Regina's eyes widen when she catches sight of the last face she would ever expect to see in her bed.

"Good morning, baby." The blonde mumbles out groggily, pulling Regina's body flush against hers.

"Emma?"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Previously…** _

_Who the hell is in her bed?_

_As her alarm sounds off for the second time, Regina doesn't bother turning it off; she just stares at the mystery person's back, waiting with bated breath for them to turn around and reveal their identity. And, just as she hoped, the person turns around, their eyes still closed, and their arm draping over her waist. Regina's eyes widen when she catches sight of the last face she would ever expect to see in her bed._

" _Good morning, baby." The blonde mumbles out groggily, pulling Regina's body flush against hers._

" _Emma?"_

* * *

 

"What the hell are you doing in my bed?" Regina croaks out, her eyes widened in shock. Emma winces at the brunette's loud volume, and squints both eyes open, looking at the brunette in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Emma asks hoarsely, her voice thick with sleep. Regina tiredly rolls her eyes at the woman, and attempts to roll out of her tight grasp—not getting very far, considering the blonde's arm has only tightened around her waist even more. "Where ya goin, Gina? Come back…" Emma mumbles sleepily, pulling the brunette closer to her, and snuggling her face into the crook of Regina's neck. Regina lies stock still, her eyes as wide as saucers, and her heart now beating a mile a minute. She doesn't know what the hell is going on, and if she's being honest, she's beginning to freak out. It's not often that the brunette allows herself to lose her cool, but this time she'll make an exception. She  _is_  in the arms of the enemy, after all;  _literally_ , she might add.

"Miss Swan, unhand me!" Regina exclaims in a whisper, roughly pushing her hands against the blonde's sternum, successfully getting the blonde to remove her arms from around her waist. Emma's eyes snap open at the unexpected action, now coming into full consciousness.

"Miss Swan?" Emma asks thickly, her brows quirked in question. "You haven't called me  _Miss Swan_  in seven years. Are you still upset about me giving Jamie and Beth candy for dinner last night? Because if so, I don't think I can apologize enough for that; they tricked me into it with their unbelievable cuteness." Emma says with  _that_  pout; the pout Regina hates with a passion. It makes the blonde look like a pathetic fool…but then again, Emma  _is_  a fool, so the brunette supposes that it's fitting. Wait….did Emma just say seven years?

"What the hell are you talking about? I called you Miss Swan just yesterday, and who are Jamie and Beth?" Regina asks in puzzled frustration, pulling her body up into a seated position. Emma releases a loud sigh, and pulls herself up as well, resting her back against the headboard, and putting a foot of space between her and Regina. The blonde, then, claps her hands together—and not a moment later—a bright light floods throughout the bedroom. Regina's eyes squint on their own accord, temporarily blinded by the light, and Emma hisses in discomfort as the light burns her eyes. Once their eyes are adjusted to the light, Regina finds herself looking around the familiar, yet extremely different, room. Emma stares at Regina, brows furrowing at the brunette's odd behavior.

Something isn't right.

"Are you feeling alright, Gina? You're acting really strange." Emma questions softly. Instead of answering the blonde, Regina continues examining her bedroom, noticing the extra items now placed in it, such as a guitar sitting in the corner of the room, a red leather jacket hung over her vanity chair, extra perfumes and lotions resting on her dresser, and three framed photos of her and Emma at various locations, joined by Henry and two unfamiliar children. Did she wake up in the Twilight Zone, or is someone playing a very elaborate prank on her. "Gina." Emma says again, nudging the brunette in the shoulder with her hand. Regina is pulled out of her disturbing thoughts, and snaps her attention to the blonde, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"What prank are you trying to pull? If this is a joke, please stop it." Regina says warningly, a scowl now marring her face. Emma eyes the brunette in genuine confusion.

"Prank? Joke? Stop  _what_? Babe, what are you talking about?"

" _Babe_?" Regina questions loudly. This has gone too far now. First, she wakes up in bed with the blonde, then she notices the blonde's stuff in her room, and now said blonde is calling her pet names? Seriously. What the actual fuck? "Why the hell are you calling me babe? What is this, Miss Swan?" Regina questions again, wanting to get to the bottom of this crazy episode she seems to be experiencing. Maybe this is all a dream. A terrible, terrible dream.

"What is what? What's going on with you, Regina? Last night, I went to bed with my loving wife, and this morning I wake up to Mayor Mills. What gives? Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?" Emma asks in frustration, running her finger through her sleep-tousled hair. Regina stares at the blonde in disbelief.  _Wife_?

"I'm sorry, but did you just call me your  _wife_?"

"We've been married for 5 years, Regina. Seriously, did you hit your head or something? Are you sick?" Emma asks in concern, moving closer to the brunette, and placing the back of her hand against Regina's forehead. Regina slaps the blonde's hand away, and gets off of the bed—moving to the far side of the room. "Baby…"

"Don't call me that." Regina says lowly, the seemingly permanent scowl on her face now deepening further.

"Reg—"

"Mama, mommy, it's Christmas!" A young voice exclaims as the door to Regina's bedroom slams open, two small bodies bouncing inside excitedly. Regina's eyes widen as the two children run over to her, wrapping their tiny arms around each of her thighs. Regina stares down at them in awe, placing her hands atop their heads, giving them an affectionate, but highly awkward, pat. Who were these children, and why did they look so much like her and Emma? "Merry Christmas, mama." A little boy says to Regina, flashing a bright smile at her.

"Um…Merry Christmas." She squeaks out awkwardly.  _Mama?_ These are  _her_  kids?

"Merry Christmas, mama!" A little girl exclaims to Regina excitedly, her smile completely identical to the little boy's.  _They're obviously twins; of course they're identical_ , Regina thinks to herself with an eye roll.

"Merry Christmas to you too, dear." The two children then bounce off to Emma, making their way onto Regina's king-sized bed. Emma pulls both children into her arms, showering their faces with kisses, while tickling their bellies playfully. Regina watches the scene before her in awe. Were they really her children? Was Emma really her wife? Have she and Emma really been married for five years? If so, when did all of this happen? Has she been asleep for the last few years without realizing it?

"Mama, stop!" The two children say in unison, giggling uncontrollably at the tickle attack—their loud shrieks snapping Regina out of her thoughts.

"How about you make me stop?" Emma says in a playful voice, nuzzling her face against her son's hair, while rubbing tiny circles on her daughter's back. "Merry Christmas, Jamie; Merry Christmas, Beth."

"Merry Christmas, mommy." The two say in unison, large smiles on their faces.

"Mama, why are you all the way over there?" Jamie asks in curiosity, just noticing the amount of distance currently between his two mothers.

"I-I um…" Regina stutters out.

"Mama isn't feeling like herself this morning, sweetie."

"But it's Christmas! Everyone should feel good on Christmas. Are you sick, mama?" Beth asks with a pout. Regina finds a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth at the children's concern. She is still completely clueless as to what's going on, but even she can admit that the adorableness these two kids exude can put a smile on anyone's face.

"I'm okay, dear." She tells the child politely.

"Hey, why don't you two go wake up Henry and we'll go downstairs to start opening the presents." Emma suggests to the two children. Both children nod excitedly and jump off of the bed, exiting the room in mere seconds. Emma looks over at Regina with a frown. "Do you want to go back to sleep, and maybe get some more rest?" Emma asks the brunette gently, her eyes shining with concern. A lump forms in Regina's throat at the loving and concerned expression on the blonde's face. She doesn't think she's ever seen anyone look so concerned for her well-being before. It's shocking, but not entirely unpleasant.

"That's okay. I'll be fine." Regina responds shortly, receiving a nod in response from the blonde.

"Hey, moms, I think you guys need to hurry up and get downstairs before the twins decide to rip open everyone's presents." A deep voice sounds from the doorway, causing Regina's attention to snap towards the owner of the voice. Regina's mouth drops when she takes in the sight of the, much older, Henry. He's at least 5'10, his facial features have matured, and his body build has become a bit muscular. Henry takes a look at the larger-than-normal distance between his mothers, and frowns. "Um, what's going on?" He asks, looking between his mothers curiously. Emma looks to Regina, noticing the gob smacked expression on her face, and raises a brow. She turns back to Henry and offers him her best smile.

"Nothing, kid. Look, your mom and I will be down in a minute. Go keep the twins company, and hand them one gift to open now." Emma tells him. Henry nods at the instructions, and takes one last look at his mothers before turning on his heels, and making his way down the stairs.

"Are you up for dealing with two overly excited three year olds and a moody seventeen year old?" Emma asks the brunette with a lopsided grin, hoping to gain a smile from her disoriented, and seemingly amnesiac, wife. Regina nods softly, still too shocked about the turn of events the morning has taken. "Great! Do you need a moment more up here, or are you ready to go down now?" Emma asks the brunette.

"I'll go now." Regina says quietly. Emma smiles at the brunette and gets up from her spot on the bed, making her way over to her wife. She holds out a hand to Regina, which Regina takes a hesitantly, and leads her out of the bedroom. Holding her enemy's hand and having to be in her enemy's presence for an extended amount of time was definitely not in Regina's plans. One can only hope that she wakes up from this dream soon.

But, until then, let this strange Christmas day begin.


	3. Chapter 3

As Regina follows Emma down the stairs, her hand entwined with the blonde's, she notices a plethora of unfamiliar family portraits lining the walls.  _Her_  walls. Last time Regina checked, there were only pictures of her and Henry—and even a few of Kathryn—placed around the house. Her eyes stop on a particular picture, however; one that causes her to stop walking, which in turn, causes Emma to halt her movements altogether. Regina studies the portrait before her, her eyes widened in astonishment. There, in the picture before her, is her and Emma  _kissing,_ both clad in matching white wedding gowns, with a small Henry—one who is only a little older than  _her_  Henry—looking up at both women with a bright smile on his face. Emma watches as her wife studies the picture with scrutiny, picking apart every detail, and analyzing each detail to death.

"When was this taken?" Regina asks distractedly, her eyes still glued to the picture. She's never seen a picture like this before; one where she looks genuinely happy and carefree. It's odd, yet, surprisingly liberating in a way. She's always felt like a prisoner to her own misery. Who knew she was capable of expressing and feeling such great joy?

"Five years ago at our wedding ceremony. Henry was your best man and Mary-Margaret was my maid of honor." Emma tells her softly, rubbing the pad of her thumb against the back of Regina's hand.

"When did we get together?" Regina asks this time, a large lump forming in her throat. Emma frowns at this, not understanding what's causing her wife's strange behavior—the feeling of helplessness and panic stirring in her gut. How does her wife not remember that she is, indeed,  _her_  wife? How does she not remember their twins, and why did she look so shocked when she saw Henry? Is Regina suffering from a case of amnesia, or is she just really out of it? As Emma stares at her confused wife, she decides to go with the second option. One can only hope that she's just out of it, and not an amnesiac; that would make for a depressing Christmas.

"Six and a half years ago. You and I had formed a truce a few months earlier, and we began spending a lot of time together; sometimes with Henry, but most of the time without him."

"S-six and a half y-years? We've been a couple that long?" Emma nods. "Why?" Emma chuckles good-naturedly and shrugs.

"I'm assuming because we love each other. Look, I don't know what's going on with you right now, Gina, but please try to act normal around the kids. I don't want them thinking mama doesn't love or remember them." Emma says sadly, a small, defeated smile on her face. Regina's heart breaks at the sad expression, surprised by the reaction Emma Swan's sadness has on her. Maybe in this dream/future vision, Regina really does love her. Regina comes to a decision, and decides that she's going to play along. She offers Emma's hand a reassuring squeeze and a smile, and resumes their walk down the stairs, finally reaching the—overly decorated—living room.

She takes in the sight of five differently colored Christmas stockings hanging over the fireplace, rainbow colored tinsel taped along the walls, tiny paper snowflakes hanging from the archway leading into the dining room and living room, and a tall, decorated, synthetic Christmas tree standing proudly in the corner of the living room—a mountain of presents placed beneath it. Regina then notices the twins sitting atop the couch, staring up at her and Emma with guilty smiles on their faces. Regina quirks a brow at the two, while Emma playfully narrows her eyes at them.

"What's up guys?" Emma says suspiciously, releasing Regina's hand, and taking a step closer to her kids.  _Our_   _kids_ , Regina amends. The two look at each other and giggle before looking back at Emma with sly smiles.

"Nothing." They giggle out in unison. Regina chuckles to herself when she spots the large pile of Christmas wrapping paper resting underneath their bums. Emma notices this too, and quirks a brow.

"Oh, really? So you two didn't open more than one present; even though I only gave you permission to open one?" Emma questions. The twins' eyes widen at that, exchanging looks of adorable panic.

"No…." Beth draws out, schooling her features into a confident smirk. Regina looks on in astonishment, staring at the little girl as if she were the most fascinating specimen on the planet. This really  _was_  her daughter. There's no doubt about that now. Emma turns to Regina and smiles when she sees the same smirk forming on the other woman's face. Yeah, their daughter definitely took after Regina in the cocky and confident department.

"Really? So, that isn't wrapping paper you two are sitting on right now?" Beth and Jamie suck their bottom lips into their mouths, their mocha colored eyes widening innocently.

"No." They drawl out together. Emma chuckles and stalks towards them, leaping in front of them and tickling them mercilessly. The twins dissolve into a fit of giggles, kicking their feet, and flailing their arms wildly as they try to escape their mother's grasp. Regina watches the scene before her with a wide smile, unable to control it, but unwilling to rid her face of it. A nudge against her shoulder snaps her attention away from the joyous scene, and brings her attention to her older son.

"Merry Christmas, mom." Henry says softly as he wraps his arm around her shoulder, pulling her body into his side. Regina melts at the open affection, tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she rests her head against his chest. She never thought she'd see the day that Henry would begin treating her like his mother again. It's been months since she's received a hug or a smile from the young ten year old she left behind. It's a nice change to finally get some affection from her little boy; or, not-so-little boy, in this case.

"Merry Christmas, Henry." She says back, her voice thick with emotion. Henry looks down at his mother, noticing her glassy eyes and taken aback expression.

"Are you okay, mom? You and ma aren't fighting, are you?" He asks worriedly. Regina snaps her eyes up to his, shaking her head in the negative.

"No, we're not fighting. All is well, don't worry about us, okay?"

"Okay."

"Alright, everyone. Since these two already opened three of their presents, let's just begin opening up the rest!" Emma suggests, balancing both twins on each hip. Henry smirks and removes his arm from Regina's shoulder, walking over to the tree, and looking back at her with a wink. He picks up a present and walks back over to Regina, handing her the immaculately wrapped gift.

"What's this?" Regina asks with a smile. Henry rolls his eyes playfully and nudges it towards her.

"Open it." So she does. She daintily tears off the wrapping paper, causing Henry and Emma to chuckle at her, and opens it to see a photo album. She flips open the book and notices little drawings and scribbles—all done by the twins and Henry himself—and then gets further into the book, seeing photos of her and Henry—from when he was younger—and pictures of her and the twins on the day they came home from the hospital. She continues flipping through the pages, noticing pictures of her and Emma smiling at one another, and occasionally, sharing a kiss. She looked truly happy. Regina tears up as she sees the life she's built for herself—or, better yet, the life she will eventually build for herself—and smiles, stray tears falling down her cheeks. Henry takes the pad of his thumb and gently wipes the tears away. "Do you like it? The twins and I put it together."

Regina nods silently, closes the album, and wraps her son into her arms, whispering a small "I love it." The twins squirm in Emma's arms—wanting to be let down—and run over to Regina, wrapping their arms around her thighs. Regina giggles at the two small additions to her hug, and releases Henry, kneeling down before the two little children to embrace them in a proper hug.

"Merry Christmas, mama! Don't cry!" Jamie exclaims, pulling back from the hug to clumsily wipe the tears off of Regina's face. Regina giggles at that and plants a kiss on his cheek, causing him to giggle as well. She then places a kiss on Beth's cheek, receiving a bright smile in response.

"You liked our gift, mama?" Beth asks excitedly. Regina laughs and nods.

"I loved it, you two. Best present ever!" Regina exclaims with a wide smile. Emma watches the scene before her with a smile. There's the wife that she knows and loves.

"Okay, kiddos. Let's get to gift opening!" Emma exclaims, the two kids cheering in response, and running to the gifts under the tree. Regina gets up from her kneeling position, and walks over to the couch, taking a seat next to Henry. Regina watches as Emma helps the twins pick out their presents, pointing out the letters that make up their names, and having them sound the letters out before opening their gifts. She's impressed. It seems that there is an entirely different side to the blonde; one that Regina didn't even know existed. She thinks that maybe she could get used to this side of Miss Swan.

* * *

 

As the gift opening comes to a close, Regina and Henry begin working on breakfast, making a feast fit to feed a queen. A very  _unhealthy_  queen. The two make large servings of French toast, pancakes, scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, toast, and sausage. Regina grimaces at the amount of unhealthy food placed on the dining room table, and smacks herself for allowing Henry to pick his breakfast of choice. She's 100 percent certain his affinity for greasy foods has come from his other mother.

"This is disgraceful." Regina huffs out. Henry chuckles at his mom and places a kiss on her cheek.

"You say this every Christmas. Just wait until we make our annual Christmas dinner." He tells her with a wink. Regina narrows her eyes at him, causing him to laugh.

"Something smells deliciously unhealthy in here." Emma singsongs as she enters the dining room, sending a playful wink towards Regina. Regina rolls her eyes at the woman as she tries to smack away the butterflies flapping around in her stomach. It turns out that the butterfly feeling in her gut is a constant occurrence when in the presence of one Emma Swan. It's as if past/real life her, is developing the feelings of future/dream her. No good could come out of this.

"Try not to get a heart attack, dear. I would really hate to entertain the paramedics today."

"Ha-ha." Emma says sarcastically with an affectionate eye roll. The twins bounce into the dining room a moment later, taking a seat next to Henry at the table.

"Mommy, can we eat now?" Beth asks, eyeing the food hungrily.

"In just a minute, sweetie. I need to talk your mama really quick. Gina, can you follow me into the living room?" Emma asks. Regina nods, and the two make it as far as the dining room entrance, when they're kids call out a word Regina wasn't expecting.

"Mistletoe!" The three kids yell as their moms end up under the dining room archway. Emma looks at Regina smugly, as Regina just notices the small, dangling shrub above them.

"How do you fall for this every year?" Emma asks playfully. Regina frowns, looking up at Emma with a hint of nervousness and excitement. Emma leans forward—Regina meeting her halfway—and kisses her, their lips planted firmly on one another's and moving in a slow and steady rhythm. After a few seconds, Emma pulls back with a large grin on her face, staring at Regina's flushed face in amusement. "Okay, let's eat." Emma says with a wink, entwining Regina's fingers with hers, and gently tugging her towards the dining room table.

If this is a dream, Regina doesn't want to wake up.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays, everyone!

"This is abhorrent."

"No, this is delicious."

"An unhealthy breakfast, paired with an unhealthy lunch, and topped off with an unhealthy dinner, is not in any way delicious or, you know— _healthy_."

"You say this every year, babe, and every year I tell you that all of this  _great_  food is my Christmas gift. Since you and I have been together, I have been eating healthy 360 days out of the year. Please, don't take this day away from me; it's a rare occurrence." Emma says with a pout, taking a large bite of her meat lovers' pizza. Regina grimaces at the sight of the greasy food, watching in disgust as small pieces of meat fall onto Emma's chest, while grease and pizza sauce drips onto Emma's chin. What does future/dream Regina even see in her? Regina licks the pad of her thumb and wipes the grease off of the blonde's chin, giggling when Emma hums her thanks, and offers a gross, food-filled smile. Regina wrinkles her nose up in disgust, but can't quite wipe the smile off of her face. Sure, Emma is a total savage when she eats, but it doesn't make her any less cute.

"Please chew with your mouth closed, dear." Regina tells the blonde, poking her in the cheek playfully. Emma swallows a mouthful of pizza and sticks her tongue out at Regina, coughing when some of the food gets stuck in her throat. Regina pats the blonde on the back, and offers her a smug grin.

"Shut up." Emma mumbles as takes a sip of her water. Regina laughs under hear breath, just as Henry enters the living room, clad in a  _Storybrooke High Athletics_  t-shirt and a pair of black gym shorts.

"So, Jamie and Beth are asleep; I changed them into their jammies and tucked them into bed." Henry tells them with a lopsided grin. Regina can't help but see the resemblance between him and Emma in that moment. Now that she thinks about it, her son's smile is definitely Emma's smile. A thought like that would usually upset her, but for some odd reason, it doesn't; not anymore. Now, it makes her heart feel light, and her stomach fill with fluttering butterflies.

"Thanks, kid. Are you heading to bed now?" Emma asks as she swallows the remainder of her pizza, downing the remnants of it with her glass of water.

"Nah, I was actually wondering if I could hang out with you two for a bit?" Regina and Emma exchange smiles and motion for Henry to join them on the couch. He takes a seat next to Regina and leans his head against the back cushions.

"So, is there something you want to talk to us about?" Emma asks him slowly, her brow quirked in question. Henry sighs and nods slowly, sitting up straighter on the couch, and avoiding his mothers' curious gaze.

"I just... I need some advice." He trails off, leaving his mothers to stare at him questioningly.

"About?" Emma asks with a drawl.

"I need girl advice." He says awkwardly, his cheeks tinging pink in embarrassment. Regina's breath hitches at that; her son wants girl advice.  _Her_  Henry is only ten; she didn't think she'd hear those words come out of his mouth until he was at least thirteen. But then she remembers that this is still her Henry…just an older version of him. Either way, Henry asking for girl advice is awful; it means her baby boy is no longer a baby. That thought alone is absolutely stressful and saddening.

"What do you want to know?" Emma asks calmly, unlike Regina who is sitting there with wide eyes and a palpitating heart.

"How do you know if a girl likes you?"

"Well, if she laughs at all of your jokes, touches your arm a lot, attempts to start conversations with you every chance she gets, and gets jealous whenever you talk to other girls, then she probably likes you." Emma says with a shrug as she places her empty plate onto the coffee table, and leans back into the chair, resting her hands atop her bloated stomach.

"How did you know that mom liked you?" He asks, snapping Regina's attention back to the conversation at hand. Regina eyes Emma curiously, wanting to hear her answer. She'd love to hear how her feelings came about and when they became obvious. It's a thought that's been bugging her since she arrived in this future…dream…dream future?

"Well, your mom is a super complex person; she's hard to read. I didn't know for sure that your mom liked me until she saw me talking to August one day and got insanely jealous. She threatened to rip the poor guy's balls off and feed it back to him. That's when I knew that your mom liked me." Emma says with a shrug, chuckling at the scoffing brunette. Henry's eyes widen in horror as he crosses one leg over the other uncomfortably. Emma laughs loudly at their son's horrified expression, while Regina blushes furiously. Sure, she may not have actually done that  _yet_ , but it does sound exactly like something she would do while in a jealous rage. How embarrassing.

"But, you know, not all women are like that." Emma amends with a smirk. "Who do you like?"

Henry blushes and looks away from his mothers, picking at the imaginary lint on his gym shorts. "Grace." He mutters lowly.

"Grace? As in Jefferson's daughter, Grace? Well, this is certainly not a surprise." Emma says with a shrug. Henry's mouth drops open at that.

"W-what do you mean?"

"I mean, you've been crushing on her forever. She's literally all you talk about. If you like her, kid, go ask her out. She's a sweet girl, Henry, and the worst thing she could say is no." Henry nods at that and raises up from his seat on the couch, his chest pumped out in a confident manner.

"Okay. Tomorrow, I will call her and ask her on a date. Thanks, ma."

"No problem, kid."

"Night, guys." Henry tells them with a smile, exiting the living room, and making his way up the stairs.

"I think we should clean up and then head to bed." Emma suggests to the abnormally quiet Regina. Regina nods and stands up, holding her hand out to Emma. Emma smiles up at her wife, and picks up her plate from the coffee table, taking Regina's hand as she helps her up. She leans over to Regina and places a quick kiss on the brunette's lips, taking Regina by surprise. "Come on, let's get this done so we can go to bed; I'm exhausted." If  _present_  Emma is anything like  _this_  Emma, then Regina is 100 percent sure she's in trouble.

* * *

 

"I thought you said you were exhausted?" Regina pants out, moaning as Emma's hand squeezes her rear. Emma trails her lips down the length of Regina's jaw, and moves down to her neck, placing open-mouthed kisses on the soft skin. Regina moans softly at the feeling, her hands resting beneath the blonde's tank top, while her fingertips graze against the blonde's bare back. Emma kisses down Regina's neck, and makes her way down to her chest, placing tiny kisses just above her breasts. Emma pulls away and places a kiss on Regina's chin, staring up at the woman—her chin resting against the brunette's chest—with a smile on her face.

"I lied." Regina smiles and pulls the blonde's face towards hers, bringing the blonde into a heated kiss. Emma crawls up Regina's body and places her hands on either side of the brunette's head, her body hovering over the brunette's, as their lips move in perfect sync. As their kiss progresses and Emma lowers her body onto Regina's, the brunette runs her hands over the blonde's back, lifting Emma's tank top up a few inches. Emma rolls to her side, bringing Regina's body with hers, and pulls back slightly, staring into the mocha orbs with an intensity that takes Regina's breath away. "You are so beautiful." Emma whispers against her lips. Regina blushes and begins shaking her head in denial, only to stop when Emma places another kiss on her lips.

"You. Are. Beautiful." Emma says in-between kisses, conviction and honesty lacing her voice.

"Okay." Regina says quietly, smashing her lips against the blonde's. Emma smiles into the kiss and laces her fingers through the shoulder length brown tresses, massaging the woman's scalp as their kiss deepens. Regina rests her hand on the hem of Emma's tank top, pulling it up another inch as Emma's tongue enters her mouth. Regina moans at the contact and pulls the blonde's front flush against hers, allowing her hands wander over the blonde's backside.

Emma pulls away from Regina, causing the brunette to whimper in protest, and sits up, pulling her tank top over her head swiftly. Regina's mouth goes dry at the sight, her eyes eating up the sight of the blonde's perfect abs and perky breasts. The blonde smirks at the brunette's expression and gets back into her previous position, her bare front pressed against Regina's thinly clothed front.

"I want you so much right now." Emma whispers against the brunette's lips.

"Then take me." Regina whispers back. Emma smiles lovingly at her and resumes their kiss, her hands snaking their way into the brunette's tank top and onto her breasts. Regina hisses in pleasure as Emma begins kneading her breasts; the blonde's lips latching onto her neck, as her hands continue to, skillfully, massage the soft mounds. Regina's eyes close as she allows the pleasure to consume her and take over her senses. It's just her and Emma. Nothing else in the world exists but them, and this moment. Nothing.

"Mom. Mom, wake up." Regina hears a familiar voice say in the distance. Her eyes snap open as her brain recognizes it as Henry's voice;  _her_  Henry. "Mom." His voice says with a whine. Regina watches as the scene before her begins disappearing; the room now turning into a messy blur, and Emma's body now fading off into the distance. She closes her eyes tightly, wanting nothing more than to go back to the previous moment. But no such luck. Everything around her disappears and she is no longer in that heated moment with Emma. She's now alone.

* * *

 

"Mom, wake up." Henry's says again as he shakes his mother's shoulder. Regina groans quietly as her eyes squint open, taking in the sight of her son's face hovering over hers.

"Henry?" She croaks out tiredly.

"Wake up, it's Christmas." He tells her with a small smile. Regina rubs at her eyes and releases a loud yawn, dragging her tired body into a seated position. She rests her back against the headboard and looks round the room, noticing for the first time how empty it is. How empty her life is—with the exception of Henry, of course. He  _is_  her life, after all. But, now, she feels that they both could use something more in their life. Something that could complete their little family; make it whole.

"Merry Christmas. I thought you were mad at me." Regina says to him with a frown. Henry looks down at that, and shrugs. He scrambles atop Regina's bed and takes a seat beside her.

"I was, and a part of me still is, but I should know better than to make you do things you don't want to do. I just really want you and Emma to get along. She's really nice, mom, and she just wants to be your friend." Henry tells her quietly, looking into her eyes to convey his truth. Regina smiles at him and places a kiss atop his unruly curls.

"Can you do me a favor and grab my phone off of the dresser?"

"Why?" He asks curiously, though his feet have already taken him to the dresser and back within seconds. He hands his mother her phone and waits for her to supply him with an answer. When she begins dialing instead, he persists. "Who are you calling?"

"Emma. I'm going to ask her to spend Christmas with us."

"Really?" Henry says with wide eyes, a bright smile taking over half of his face. Regina chuckles as she presses the call button, running her fingers through her son's hair.

"Really. I'm beginning to think that maybe she's not so bad."


	5. Chapter 5

"Mom! Emma's here!" Henry yells out, his voice traveling down the hallway and into the kitchen. Regina releases a shaky breath and straightens out her clothing—which consists of a plain white V-neck and gray sweats—and runs her fingers through her chocolate locks, as she makes her way into the foyer, where she spots a nervous looking Emma, and a brightly smiling Henry. Regina ruffles the boy's hair as she enters the foyer, stopping in front of the blonde woman, and offering her a small, genuine smile. Emma nervously returns the smile, stuffing her hands into her front jeans pockets, and bouncing nervously on her heels.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Swan." Regina says sincerely, locking eyes with the blonde.

"Merry Christmas, Madame Mayor." Emma says back, the skepticism in her voice easily detectable. Regina stares at the blonde and allows her eyes to roam over the younger woman's face, memorizing every curve, dip, and dimple. Emma looks back at Regina curiously, clearing her throat in confusion as the brunette's eyes linger on her face. "Are you feeling okay, Regina?" Emma asks as she clears her throat again, successfully snapping the brunette out of her daze. Regina averts her gaze from the blonde, and instead, focuses her attention on the floor.

"I'm fine, I was just—I'm fine. Um, I just made breakfast; would you like to join me in the kitchen?" Regina asks nervously, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth. Emma raises a brow at the brunette's odd behavior, and nods slightly, following the brunette down the hall and into the kitchen. Emma eyes the breakfast lying on the counter hungrily, her stomach growling at the sight of it. Regina chuckles under her breath and picks up a plate of whole grain waffles in one hand, and a plate of scrambled egg whites in the other, while Henry grabs a plate of French toast in one hand, and a plate of wheat bagels in another.

"Wow, you really do eat healthy, don't ya?" Emma asks as she eyes the food. Regina chuckles and motions for Henry to grab something out of the microwave. Henry rests the plates on the dining room table, and does as his mother asks, returning from the kitchen just a few seconds later with two new plates of food in hand. As he sets the plates on the table, Emma's eyes widen in genuine surprise when she sees what's on them. Bacon and sausage. "Whoa, I didn't even know you owned such unhealthy food." Emma says in wonder, her eyes transfixed on the meaty wonders resting before her. Regina chuckles and pushes the plates towards the woman, motioning for her to help herself. Emma doesn't need to be told twice, however, and within seconds, her plate is filled to the brim with bacon, sausage, egg whites, and French toast.

"Good?" Regina asks as the blonde stuffs her face, moaning in delight as she shovels even more food into her mouth. Emma nods enthusiastically, and swallows what she can, washing the rest of it down with coffee. "So, what were your original plans for today?" Regina asks, taking a sip of her coffee. Emma swallows her next mouthful of food and looks up at Regina.

"Oh, I was actually just going to drive around for a bit; maybe go back to Boston for the day." The blonde says with a shrug.

"Oh, were you planning to spend the day with friends?"

"Um, no. I don't really have any. Well, I do have Mary-Margaret, David, Graham, and Ruby, but other than them, I'm pretty much a loner. I've never really had any friends until I came here." The blonde says sadly, twirling her fork around in her plate, while avoiding eye contact with Regina.

"I don't really have any friends, either. I mean, I do have Kathryn, and of course I have Henry, but they're all I've ever had. I guess that's what happens when you're the mayor everyone hates, huh?" Regina says lightly, forcing a small chuckle. Emma looks up at her and stares into her eyes, a sincere expression on her face.

"I don't hate you." Emma says softly. Regina softly gasps at the admission and clears her throat awkwardly, focusing her attention back on her plate of food. Henry looks between his two mothers with a large smile, and takes a bite of his bagel.

Regina places her fork down and brings her attention back to Emma. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why don't you hate me? I've been awful to you."

Emma sighs and leans back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest, while she looks down at her plate self-consciously. "I've never hated you." She states, bringing her eyes up to Regina's. "For some odd reason, I've only ever wanted to be your friend. You and I are far more alike than you think, and I guess I just wanted to find companionship with a person who understands how I feel, because they're feeling the exact same way."

"And how do I feel?" Regina asks with a quirked brow, staring at the other woman intently as she waits for an answer.

"Lonely."

Regina stares at Emma, her lips pulled down into a frown, and her eyes wide with shock and sorrow. Henry looks between his mothers and decides to excuse himself from the table. "Let's wash up and head to the living room, shall we?" Regina suggests, raising up from her seat and taking her plate up with her to the kitchen. Emma sighs and does the same, stacking the empty plates on top of one another and following after the brunette.

* * *

 

"I can't believe you got the kid 25 new comic books and a new book of fairytales. Do you really think he's going to read them all?" Emma asks the brunette skeptically. Regina smirks just as Henry reenters the living room, three of his comic books in hand, and a wide smile on his face.

"I finished three of my new comic books, mom. They were so awesome!" The boy exclaims, causing Emma's eyes to widen in surprise, and Regina's lips to twist into a smug smile. Henry gives Regina a hug and runs back up the stairs—eager to start on a new comic book.

"Never underestimate how much Henry loves to read."

"I'll have to remember that for future reference. I guess I know what to get the kid for his birthday." Emma says with a small laugh.

"He loved the video games you got him, so I'd say you're gift was a success." Regina reassures her with a small smile. Emma smiles back at her, her head tilted to the side, and studies her. She wonders how this woman—the same woman who, just yesterday, wanted to run her out of town—is suddenly treating her like a dear friend. She's got to be up to something, right?

"Why'd you ask me to spend Christmas with you?" The blonde blurts out, taking Regina by surprise.

"Well, last night, I thought about your truce offer, and after a lot consideration, I thought that maybe I was being a bit too harsh by rejecting it. You've never given me any reason to distrust you and I could really use a friend. And from the looks of it, you could too."

"It's strange…."

"What is?"

Emma releases a long sigh and offers a nervous smile. "For the last month I've been having this reoccurring dream involving you, Henry, and two other children. You and I were amazingly close in this dream, and I guess a large part of me wanted this dream to become a reality. I guess that's part of the reason I've been pushing for you and I to become friends; because of a stupid dream. Crazy, right?" Emma says with a chuckle, avoiding Regina's eyes. Regina's breath hitches at the confession. She couldn't be talking about the same dream she had last night, could she?

"How close were we, Miss Swan?"

"Close enough to sleep in the same bed and share three kids." Emma says slowly, another nervous chuckle escaping her throat. The blonde shrugs nonchalantly and averts her gaze. "It was just a dream though; I'm sorry if that seems weird."

"It doesn't." The two sit in silence for a few moments before the brunette decides to break the silence. "Hey, Emma?"

"Yes?"

"Will you be my friend?" Regina asks with a small, hopeful smile. A large, genuinely happy smile spreads across the blonde's lips, her head nodding enthusiastically on its own accord.

"Yes."

"Well… _friend,_ would you like to help me make an unhealthy Christmas dinner? I believe Kathryn has left several frozen pizzas in my freezer."

"I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." Emma says, hopping up from her seat, and running into Regina's kitchen. Regina laughs loudly and trails after the blonde, shaking her head at the younger woman's antics.

"And hopefully the start of so much more." The brunette says under her breath as she follows after the blonde.

* * *

 

_**7 years later**  _

"And that was the day your mama and I became friends." Emma finishes, looking down at the two wide awake twins.

"When did you become girlfriends?" Beth asks curiously, her mocha orbs shining with curiosity. Regina chuckles at the little girl and gently runs her fingers through the child's blonde hair, smiling softly at her wife from over her daughter's head.

"That's a story for another time, dear. Right now, it's time for you two little munchkins to get some sleep." Regina tells the two children lightly, laughing quietly when they groan in unison.

"Stop your groaning, we'll tell you another story tomorrow night." Emma promises them, causing both children to cheer. Emma sticks her tongue out at the brunette playfully, receiving a playful eye roll in response. She lifts up their son, walking them over to his racecar bed placed on the other side of the room, and lays him down. "Let's get you tucked in, bud." Emma says as she places him beneath the covers, tucking the blankets around him.

"Goodnight, mommy." He tells her with a smile. She smiles back at him and places a kiss on his forehead.

"Goodnight, Jamie."

"Goodnight, mama." Beth whispers out to Regina, rubbing her fists against her eyes tiredly. Regina smiles softly at the girl and leans down, placing a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"Goodnight, Beth." Regina and Emma switch places, bidding the opposite twin goodnight, and head out of their bedroom, keeping the door ajar, and the night light on.

"We've done well." Emma says with a smirk, nodding her head towards the twins' and Henry's bedrooms.

"We did. And to think a dream started all of this." Regina says with a chuckle, placing a kiss on her wife's lips.

"It's our 7th Christmas together. Crazy, right?" Emma says as she wraps her arms around her wife's torso, pulling their bodies flush against each other. Regina rests her head on her wife's shoulder, her face nuzzled into the crook of the blonde's neck, and her arms wrapped around the blonde's waist.

"Merry Christmas, Regina."

"Merry Christmas, Emma."

**_THE END_ **


End file.
